Testament are genuine and apostolic, the Peshito-Syriac could not have a similar origin, for it does not contain the second epistle of Peter, the second and third epistles of John, the epistle of Jude, or the book of Revelation. Eusebius, who wrote in the early part of the fourth century, mentions that Hegesippus, who lived earlier, quoted from the Syriac. From this, and other collateral evidences, it is concluded that the Syriac version of the New Testament existed in the second century. The interest of the translation arises chiefly from the fact already stated, that the Syriac was the common language of Palestine at the time of Christ.

An edition of this version was printed in Venice in 1555. Several other editions have appeared at different times, and a most excellent translation from the pen of Dr. Murdock was published in America a few years since.

Another Syriac version, the Poloxenian, named after the bishop under whose patronage it was rendered, is not considered of much critical value. Its date is A. D., 508.

EGYPTIAN VERSIONS. There are three of these, differing from each other in their dialects.

(1.) The Thebaic Version. This was the earlier of the Ethiopic translations, and is supposed to have been made in the early part of the third century, for the use of the common people in Upper Egypt.

(2.) The Coptic or Memphitic Version. This was executed in what was the more polished dialect of Lower Egypt, and originated in the same century as the Thebaic.

(3.) The Egyptian Version consists of fragments discovered in modern times.

Each of these versions is independent of the others, and springs from Greek copies. They are not considered of much critical value.

ARMENIAN VERSION. It is altogether probable that the Syriac version was used, together with the original Greek, in Armenia during the first and second centuries. But there is evidence that a translation was extant in that dialect in the early part of the fifth century, and it is considered of value as a critical help. PERSIAN VERSION. The New Testament was translated into the

Persian language in the seventh century or at the beginning of the eighth.

ARABIC VERSIONS. There have been several translations of the New Testament made into this ancient language. But the oldest antedates the times of Mahomet. He must have had access to a version of the Scriptures, but doubtless was able to read the Syriac, which approaches the Arabic. The earliest version in Arabic is traced to the seventh century, soon after the death of Mahomet. It is known as the Polyglot. Another was rendered— though in the main a version of the former-in the sixteenth century, called the Propaganda, and a still later one in 1816 known as the Sabat.

LATIN VERSIONS. As the Latin language followed the track of Roman conquest, and became the general medium of communication throughout Northern Africa and Europe, where Christian churches were established, various translations were made into that tongue. The oldest of these versions, known as the Vetus Latina (Old Latin), is supposed to have been made in Africa during the second century. But its history and character-as also the less important old Latin versions-are lost in obscurity. In the fourth century a new Latin version was made in northern Italy, superior, it seems, to any of its cotemporaries. It was called the Itala.

Soon after its appearance, Jerome, after years of studious preparation, undertook, probably at the request of Demasus, the Pope, the revision of the old Latin version of the New Testament. The labors of Jerome were met by a general outcry of reproach. He was accused of disturbing the repose of the church and of shaking the foundation of the faith. Jerome's version-which was in fact a new translation from the Greek, though not called so-gradually came into general use. In the sixth century it was universally used among scholars; in the seventh the traces of the old versions became rare, and in the eighth century it was the received version of all the Latin churches, having supplanted all others.

In 1590, Pope Sixtus ordered a corrected edition of Jerome's Vulgate to be published, and prefixed to it his famous declaration

of its plenary authority. It was soon afterward discovered that this edition was defective, and a new one was published under the superintendence of Clement the Eighth, with a preface by Cardinal Bellarmine.

The influence of the Vulgate on theological thought and terms has been extensive. Its terminology has been adopted in all the more modern versions, and the Anglicized words, predestination, redemption, sacrament, scripture, communion, and many others, are transferred from the Vulgate. All modern versions were based upon the Vulgate, and it has left its impress upon the language and the civilization of all the European nations. Biblical critics have been always ready to admit that it is a valuable, and, on the whole, a trustworthy translation.

THE GOTHIC VERSION. In the year 388 a Gothic missionary visited Constantinople, taking with him, it is supposed, a translation of the Scriptures which he had made. All trace of this ancient work was lost until thirteen hundred years after the translator, whose name was Ulphilas, died in the capital of the East. A man named Morillon incidentally mentioned that he had observed a copy of it in the Monastery of Werden, in Westphalia. Little notice was taken of his statement. But a few years after, at the close of what is known as the "Thirty Years' War," in 1648, there was found among the spoils in the city of Prague a manuscript of this ancient version. It is a valuable aid in ascertaining the true text of the original Scriptures. It is of Greek origin and wholly independent of the Vulgate.

SLAVONIC VERSION. In the year 862 there was a desire expressed for Christian teachers in Moravia, and in the following year the labors of the missionaries, Cyrillus and Methodius, two brothers from Thessalonica, began there. To Cyrillus is ascribed the invention of the Slavonian alphabet, and the commencement of the translation of the Scriptures. He appears to have died at Rome in 868, while Methodius continued for many years to be the bishop of the Slavonians. He is stated to have continued his brother's translation, although how much they themselves executed is quite uncertain. As the oldest known manuscript of the whole Bible is of the year 1499, this version may in large portions be compara

tively modern. The oldest manuscript of any part of this version is an Evangeliarium, in Cyrillic characters, of the year 1056. The first printed portion was an edition of the Gospels in Wallachia, in 1512; in 1575 the same portion was printed at Wilna; and in 1581 the whole Bible was printed at Ostrog in Volhynia. The general text is such as would have been expected in the ninth century; some readings from the Latin have, it appears, been introduced in places.

The ancient manuscripts of the Greek New Testament are numbered by the hundred. Some of them are essential to an accurate restoration of the Greek text; some others are most valuable helps ; while many are comparatively worthless.

These numerous hand-writings— which is the meaning of manuscripts, are so many witnesses as to the exact words that were penned by the writers of the Book. The oldest manuscript is, therefore, the most direct and reliable testimony.

They were written either on vellum or paper. The vellum was often tinted a bright purple. The paper was made from linen, and glazed. The letters are usually uncial, that is, capitals.

Some manuscripts were highly adorned, while in others the lettering is plain. Some, however, are in small letters.

The oldest manuscripts are written without accents or punctuation marks, and read in the same manner, and with similar appearance, as the following sentence in English: INTHEBEGINNINGGODCREATEDTHEHEAVENSANDTHE

EARTH.

Many of the manuscripts are what are called Palimpsests, or Codices Palimsesti—that is, rules or laws rubbed over and rewritten, or written upon. Before the invention of paper, the scarcity of parchment, or its expense, induced persons to rub out the writings on an ancient parchment and write their own works upon it. A French chemist discovered (by accident, it is said) a way to bring out the lower writing and make it legible without destroying the characters written over it. The parchment on which the first successful experiment was made, was the valuable